An in-tank type fuel feed apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,148, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,032, U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,223, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,926, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,514 (WO9623967A1) is accommodated in a fuel tank to supply fuel in the fuel tank to the outside of the fuel tank. In this structure, a lid of a filter housing of a fuel filter is mounted to the fuel tank, so that the lid covers an opening formed in the fuel tank. The filter housing supports the fuel pump. The filter housing has an inlet pipe that directly connects to a discharge pipe of a fuel pump.
As shown in FIG. 4, a fuel feed apparatus 200 has a conventional structure, in which a discharge port 203 of a fuel pump 202 is connected with a suction port 206 of a filter housing 205 of a fuel filter 204 through a connecting member 208. The fuel pump 202 is supported by the filter housing 205 in the fuel feed apparatus 200, similarly to the structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,148, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,032, U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,223, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,926, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,514. A lid 210 covers an opening formed in the fuel tank (not shown). The lid 210 is connected with the filter housing 205 by welding or the like.
However, in the fuel feed apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,148, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,032, U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,223, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,926, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,514, and in the fuel feed apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 4, a pump module, which includes the fuel pump and the fuel filter, is directly mounted to the fuel tank. Accordingly, when the pump module is used in various fuel tanks, which have depth different from each other, the height of the pump module needs to be changed corresponding to the fuel tanks. As a result, the structure of the filter housing needs to be changed for adapting to the fuel tanks. Specifically, in the fuel feed apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the connecting member 208 needs to be changed corresponding to the fuel tanks. Thus, in this structure, a component constructing the pump module needs to be changed in accordance with the depth of the fuel tank. As a result, commonality of components is not sufficient in this structure.
A fuel feed apparatus may include a supporting member that connects a lid member, which is mounted to a fuel tank to cover an opening formed in the fuel tank, with a module case of a pump module, so that the lid member supports the pump module via the supporting member. In this structure, the distance between the lid member and the pump module can be easily changed by adjusting the length of the supporting member.
In this structure, the fuel feed apparatus can be installed in fuel tanks, which have the depth different from each other, without changing the structure of the pump module, so that the pump module can be commonly used in various fuel tanks. The supporting member is connected with the module case. Specifically, a connecting portion is provided to laterally protrude from the sidewall of the module case, so that the module case is connected with the supporting member via the connecting portion.
However, in this structure, the pump module may be radially jumboized. As a result, it may be difficult to insert the pump module into the fuel tank through the opening formed in the fuel tank. The opening of the fuel tank may be widened, so that the pump module can be easily inserted into the fuel tank through the opening. However, when the diameter of the opening is increased, strength of the fuel tank may decrease, and the sealing area may increase.